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GACY Opening Remarks in the BIATF Session (October 23, 2020, 1pm)

Good afternoon to the Honorable members of the BIATF.

One of the consequences of COVID 19 is how it has severely restricted our movements as individuals, as families and as communities.  Because the virus is very contagious, movement is not only restricted in many ways but also strictly recorded and monitored.  This is not only to ensure that people who may be infected are tracked, but also provides a system of contact tracing when infected people are registered.  This is the current reality in many parts of the world, as it is in our country and here in Bohol.

It was therefore no surprise, that when pictures of  Panglao Mayor Nila Montero surfaced in social media, while she was in Cebu, many wondered out aloud: what were the circumstances and purpose of her trip? Who was the Mayor with? Did she and her party have the necessary clearances to leave and return to Bohol? ? Were health protocols observed during and after the trip?

When I found out about the situation, I talked to Col. Clarito and verbally gave him instructions to look into the matter as was his mandate under the BIATF Ordinance.  Under the BIATF structure, the TASK GROUP LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SECURITY, headed by the Provincial Police Director, is tasked, among others, “to act on all complaints and reports of violations of COVID-19 related laws and issuances, initiate or cause the investigation and prosecution of criminal actions against any person, whether public official and employees or private individuals and entities, violating the laws, EOs, rules and regulations providing for the health protocols and all other measures enacted to combat COVID-19”. The expected output of the PNP investigation must adhere to this mandate.

Within a week, an investigation report was submitted to my office which I rejected because it was the endorsed work of the Panglao Police Chief and not a product of an investigation personally conducted by the Head of the BIATF Security Cluster nor did the report contain a discussion of laws and issuances and recommended actions to take.

The Second Report submitted to me took more than two weeks, because Col. Clarito was called for high level meetings in Cebu.  Again the report was rejected because it contained a finding of facts and discussions of IATF National and Regional Issuances, but there was no recommendation of what actions to take. 

The third and final report, I officially received and is the subject of today’s BIATF Plenary Meeting.  This Third Report has two recommendations.  The first recommendation is: “let the case against Mayor Montero and company be Dropped and Closed.” The second recommendation is :” let all the members of Bohol IATF to convene and to harmonize the variations on the issuances from the Local and National IATF.”

In consonance with the Second Recommendation of Col. Clarito, the BIATF is today convened, on-line and physically, to listen to his report and presentation so we may be enlightened on what his report termed as “variations on the issuance from the local and National IATF.”  If there are indeed conflicts between our local laws and the National IATF Issuances, we must know of it and be given a chance to correct it, if indeed true.  Along the way, I am sure that he will use the case of Mayor Montero, to demonstrate to us these “variations” or “conflicts of laws” and to explain his recommendation that the case against Mayor Montero and company be “dropped and closed.”

Many have called for my aggressive action on this matter and have castigated my silence in the last month.  To those people I ask, did I not act on the matter? Did I not refer the matter to the PNP to investigate and act on it? Or do they mean that I should act even without the proper investigation having been conducted thoroughly, legally and fairly? If people want me to act on the basis of FB pictures and media releases, then I will not do so.

As to my silence,  let me remind all Bol-anons that as Governor of Bohol, I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the Philippines. In our Constitution is enshrined the command that no Filipino can be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law nor be denied the equal protection of the laws.  We have the right to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.  This is the reason why I have remained silent.  I wanted to allow due process to take its course.  Due process defined as the requirement that legal matters be resolved according to established rules and principles and that individuals be treated fairly. It is my duty and obligation to make sure that this right is afforded to every Boholano.  This is the reason why I gave the case to the PNP because they are the trained personnel who can make sure that an investigation will be properly and fairly conducted.

This afternoon, Bohol’s eyes are on all of us. Let us spare each other from grandstanding, accusations, big words and legal maxims that only a few people understand. We can agree to disagree, but let us speak plainly, respectfully, and simply to each other. What is important is that the truth comes out and our laws are harmonized and respected.  If we can allow out the truth and ensure that our laws are respected by each and every Bol-anon, then our people’s faith in our system of Government is secure. 

I ask you all to join me in bowing our heads, here in now to ask for Divine Guidance, Wisdom and Humility for all of us, and to be reminded that we are all Bol-anons and seek only for the protection, well-being and prosperity of our Province and our People.

Thank you for joining us today in the Provincial Capitol and though I will join you in this BIATF Session, to save on time and prevent any technical problems to be the cause of any delay in the proceedings, I am delegating the authority to Vice Governor Rene Relampagos, to Chair this afternoon’s proceedings. Thank you to all.


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